Hollywood Hotshot
by cheerthis95
Summary: A former actress is drawn into the racing world by bad luck. What she and the team don't realize is how quick things can go from bad to worse and nothing is what it seems.
1. Take one

An: This is a new story I couldn't get out of my head until I wrote it so here it is. Please review, good or bad. I'm all right with whatever,lol. I think I have big plans for this one and I have not quit on any of my other stories either. Thanks to all those e who dare to read and give me some insight! Love cheer

"Your rent is three weeks past due." The landlord caught Trynten Adams as she attempted to breeze up the condo apartment.

"I know this, thanks." The petite cheery colored red head sighed as she fumbled with her keys to get inside and escape the non-understanding woman that stood glaring at her. Her fire red hair and electric blue eyes had almost been the reason she had almost not even been allowed to move into this upscale building.

"You should have known being a teenage idol wouldn't last long. I want it by 9 am or get out." The Italian woman slammed her door, muttering more inaudible insults.

"9 am, right.." Trynten hit the wall out of frustration, frowning at the teenage idol comment. She was an actress, not a teenage idol. She was twenty years old, hardly close to a teenager. Her career had been long running and was in a dry spell. That had been the whole reason she had moved out here to LA in the first place. She just wasn't landing any roles, nor getting paid for it.

"Sucks, don't it??" A girl behind her asked, making her jump out of her skin. She looked at the out of place girl, then mentally scolded herself for judging her by her looks. She hated to be judged by her looks, why was she doing it to this girl?

"Yeah, I guess you heard huh?" Trynten asked, still fighting with the key.

"Yeah. Honey, you got one of two options in this town." The tall, five foot nine girl leaned on the door frame of the door across the hall.

"And that is?' Trynten asked, sitting down in the hall. Today had been hell. The worst day she had ever faced.

"You can either strip or race. That's all this town is good for." The girl called over her shoulder as she walked towards the elevator.

"Great. Which condo is yours?'" Trynten asked, wondering where the girl in black leather pants and a halter top that was accented with chains around her waist and black booted was going.

"I don't stay here. I just was checking out the place. Catch ya later." The girl kept walking as she talked.

"Wait. Please. Where's these races at?" Trynten asked, shaking her head.

"Downtown on fifth. But you gotta be there at nine to even take part. Someone like you, they might just chew you up and spit you out." The girl called as the elevator opened. She got on and was gone in an instant.

"Great." Trynten muttered, heading straight for her bed to throw herself on it in exhaustion. She drifted off to sleep, restlessly, her problems, for now, leaving her thoughts.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Can we help you?" A think accented voice asked Trynten as she walked up awkwardly.

"No. Wait, yes. I'm looking for a girl. .." Trynten's sentence stopped.

"A girl huh? We don't have prostitutes here, sorry." The guy cracked smartly, making Trynten's face flush partly in anger and embarrassment.

"Who said I want a prostitute? You got some nerve." Trynten rolled her eyes.

"You're all incognito and shit with that hoodie and in all black. Hell if I know. I don't know many girl s walkin up to ask for a girl, to tell you the truth." The man laughed, making Trynten realize she just needed to go back to Oklahoma where she came from.

"It's not like that at all. Thanks for your time." Trynten smiled, realizing he was partly right and what she needed to do was just to go home. She had no place here and she knew it just as well as he did that she was out of place. She took off the hoodie, put her hands in her faded jeans pockets and headed back through the mass swarm of cars and people to her car.

"Aw, you did make it, Strawberry shortcake." The girl she had met earlier said, looking shocked to see her.

"yeah, well, I wanted to see what was up and I ain't a stripper so you know…" Trynten looked down. "And don't call me strawberry shortcake." She added, her head turning to wards some cars that backfired that looked to be lined up in a row of four.

"So you got a name?" The girl asked, jumping off of the hood of her car. The neon purple car seemed to illuminate her pure black hair.

"It's Trynten." Trynten mumbled, hating her name.

"Nice name but strawberry shortcake is better." The girl laughed, making Trynten roll her eyes.

"What's yours?" Trynten asked, meeting the girls' catlike eyes that were a combination of yellow and green.

"Lacie. But you can call me Lace like the rest of the people do." The girl drew out the pronunciation for her benefit. "So, you got a car worth racing? You know anything bout racin?" Lacie asked her as Trynten stood there, lost in what seemed to be thought.

"yeah, it's ok. I need to make some money. Can I race like as in now?" Trynten asked, so anxiously that it made Lacie laugh.

"You think you can just race like that?" Lacie tried to not belittle her with her laugh but this girl amused her.

"I need the money. Badly. And it can't be all that hard." Trynten answered honestly, her need for cash bigger than logic.

"I would wait to make sure your car compares." A small guy with a shaky voice advised after Lacie had led her over to her group of friends.

"I don't have time to wait, but thanks." Trynten answered, seeing a bearded man scoff at her.

"Better try the armatures over there then." The rough looking guy nodded.

"Ok, I will. Thanks for your help." Trynten nodded, giving a wave to the girl who had helped her and was off, heading towards the way she had been advised to go to.

"Not like you to be so accommodating." Vince told his friend as she watched Trynten walk away at a rather fast pace.

"Hush. She needed some help. I ran into her while checking to see if Patch was home.' Lacie nodded, examining nail as Letty and the rest of the crew looked at her.

"Patch needs to take a hike. Put his cheating ass in place." Letty muttered, shooting Dominic a look as if to warn him he wasn't too far from those same thoughts. Dominic, sitting inside his Mazda Rx-7 with the door open, just ignored the comment and concentrated on working on the car he was getting ready to race.

"A girl gots needs, right, Let?" Lacie grinned, making the two girls laugh.

"Yup and he' s rich so how can you go wrong with that?" She asked, a smile playing on her lips as she took off her sunglasses she had forgotten were resting on top of her head.

"She's crazy. She's just like Brian and I bet she never raced a day in her life." Jesse watched the fiery headed girl walk up to the group of recommended racers as he stood, his back turned to Dominic's' car for the moment.

"Jesse! Pay attention and focus, would ya?" Dominic grumbled, revving the engine.

"yeah, sorry." He grinned sheepishly as he turned back to the car.

"Damn, Dom, you been uptight lately. What is your deal?" Lacie asked, frowning as she walked up to his side.

"Don't got a deal, thanks for your concern." Dominic shrugged her off, his attention on the car, still. She was only his half-sister but she knew him well and she knew he was lying to her as of right now.

"Bullshit. Talk to me or I'll yell cops and there won't be any races." Lacie smiled, grinning at the seriousness of her threat.

"That's low, even for you." He stopped, his eyes now on her, though narrowed with annoyance.

"yeah, well, you know me." She smiled sweetly at him. She kneeled down beside him, concerned why he was acing the way he was.

"Your friend's bout to race, why don't you watch her and I'll talk to you later bout it all." Dominic sighed, hoping to be let off the hook.

"Don't forget cause I'll remember." She warned. She stood up, brushing off her knees to see Trynten take last place ,puling out about two seconds behind the other racers. Two seconds didn't seem like a lot but in a race, it could mean everything.

"Look, just because you like to use cars for toys and not race them, doesn't mean I want to follow suit. I gotta get this done, Lacie." Dominic informed her as the group kept their eye on the new girl.

"She betta haul ass if she wants that money." Letty strained to see what was going on.

"She can't win. You should know this." Leon laughed, his eyes on the new girl's car. Trynten pulled up beside the person in third place and stayed at an even pace beside the car. In an instant, her car spun out of control and flipped, then crashed into the nearby brick wall that separated the street form the highway.

"SHIT. Lacie, she flipped the car!" Letty's mouth dropped, not expecting to see that. "Dom! Go make sure she's okay!" Letty ordered, pointing to the strip the cars were using for a strip to race on.

"I can't. There'll be mass cops around here in minutes." Dominic shook his head as Leon and Vince agreed with him.

"Fine, I'll go." Letty yelled, irritated with him to the fullest degree. She was about sick of his selfishness and conceitedness.

"No, Let. I will since I can handle getting in trouble. You guys take off and I'll meet you at the house." Lacie waved her friend and fellow roommate on as she headed for her car. Brian pulled up behind her as she jumped out at the accident scene.

"Trynten, you okay, Girl?" Lacie asked, looking into the flipped over vehicle, hearing sirens in the distance.

"Let me help her." Brian pulled her out of the car, a single line of blood running down her left cheek. She limped away from the car, not able to really talk at the moment.

"Go on, Brian. If they catch you, Dom will have your ass. I got her." Lacie promised with a nod, helping her into her car. She ran to her side and sped off.

"NO! Wait! I can't leave my car! Take me back!" Trynten begged, holding her head that was pounding.

"Girl, it's a loss. Cut it and let it go. You might need the money and the car but you'd be in a hell of worse shape if the cops got a hold of you and booked you in the system." Lacie warned, herself a convicted felon.

"Oh Gawd, it can't get any worse." Trynten moaned, her eyes closed and not feeling like protesting anymore.

"Come on, it'll get better. Come to out party. In fact, tonight is one of the biggest parties of the year." Lacie invited.

"No thanks. I had enough of the race scene." Trynten admitted but with a grateful tone to her voice. "Would you mind dropping me off at home?" She asked, after Lacie had finally lost the cops and the two way had been cleared over the air. It had taken almost thirty minutes to get clearance.

"Sure, but you should come." Lacie shrugged, turning around to head to the condo she had first met Trynten. She turned down the street and saw the flashing lights. "You are stuck comin to the party. Sorry. Was your Id in the car, I take it?' She asked, making Trynten nod and groan in horror.

"They are there for me. Great, now I'm a fugitive on the run." Trynten mumbled in complete and utter sadness, making Lacie laugh and at the same time feel sorry for her.

"Lesson number one. Never say it can't get any worse. That's an open invitation to invite shit in to make hell look like heaven." She advised.

"I just need to get back to Oklahoma, forget all this …stuff and …" Trynten sighed, interrupted by Lacie.

"I promise after a few beers it will seem better. Take me up on my offer yet, shortcake?" Lacie asked, pulling into the Toretto house.

"Do I have a choice?" Trynten asked, hearing the beat of the music playing loudly. "I can't go in there. I don't belong in there." Trynten admitted.

"Well, it's been my experience people never 'belong' at first. It kinda just happens. Just cause you're a hick from Oklahoma don't mean anything," Lacie teased, earning a sticking of the tongue out from Trynten.

"Funny." She rolled her eyes, running her hands through her long red hair.

"I'll introduce you to the group and get you a drink. Have a seat." Lacie nodded towards the couch that was unoccupied.

"Cops been roudn here lookin for her. Make sure she ain't a cop." Dominic growled in the kitchen as his half sister got out a Corona.

"A cop? Ha! That's some funny ass shit, Dom. She's so damn innocent." Lacie held her stomach, still laughing, almost hysterically. She patted her brother on the shoulder. "you should go into comedy and leave the racin business to me." She shook her head and took off towards the living room, running smack into Brian.

"She doin okay?" He asked, his eyes full of concern.

"Yeah, once I get her drunk, she'll be even better." Lacie smiled wickedly, tossing him the drink she had gotten for herself. "Guys, this is Trynten, Trynten this is Jesse, Brian, Letty, Vince, and Leon." Lacie announced.

"As in Trynten Adams?" Jesse asked, his mind finally placing where he had seen her before. He knew by the reddened cheeks that he was right.

"I try to stay away from being noticed, but yeah. I'm a has been and it don't look to be getting any better as of yet." Trynten nodded, crossing her legs and leaning back.

"So, just cause you did one movie with a race scene, you thought you could race, am I right?" Dominic walked in, sitting down by Letty. Trynten's head popped up as though she had been slapped. She wasn't sure if it was form the fact he had seen her movie or that he was being so mean and conceited.

"NO, I just needed money, Okay? Look, I'm sorry, this was a bad idea, Lace." Trynten got up, her words spoken fast.

"Don't mind him. He doesn't do well with newcomers." Letty scowled at her boyfriend.

"NO, it's perfectly understandable. I don't need to be here, I need to get home to pack and try to get a flight outta here." Trynten said, heading for the door.

"if you leave now, they'll have you picked up in less than thirty minutes." Brian warned as Lacie drug her brother into the other room.

"WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM, Dom?" Lacie asked, blocking the doorway and waiting for an answer.

"I don't got a problem. Lay off." he warned in that tone of I'm so pissed off I will kill you tone.

"OH, right. Maybe you didn't notice the corncob that seems to be stuck up your ass." Lacie growled, seriously sick of his attitude.

"It's my fault." Letty licked her lips as she leaned on the door frame.

"This doesn't involve you." Dominic pointed to his girlfriend.

"I think it does." She shot back, her eyes narrowed.

"I have to agree. I'll leave you two alone to talk." Lacie headed for the door.

"He doesn't like it when the tables are turned on him." Letty told Lacie as she leaned down to get herself a drink.

"Imagine that. I would just have to say shouldn't do anything to make the tables to be able to be turned. But, that' s just my thoughts." Lacie said, shooting Dominic a hateful look. She often took her best friend's side over her own brother's when it came to the cheating issue.

"Stay outta this." Dominic growled at his sister. She left the room, ignoring his commands. She held up her hands before exiting and was pleased to see Trynten was still there, and on a second corona.

"They being nice to you?' Lacie asked, playfully flicking Brian on the mess of blonde hair he had and making him grin.

"Yeah, you sure I shouldn't leave? I don't want to make that guy mad.' Trynten said, sounding timid.

"He's my half brother. Don't worry, he's just a grump almost all the time." Lacie said in an apologetic tone.

"So, a real movie star. Too cool." Jesse lit up a cigarette as the group dismantled to talk host their party.

"Nah, not anymore." Trynten smiled sadly as she played with a thread on the knee of her jeans.

"Still, its' cool." Jesse laughed as the doorbell rang and was answered by a regular party goer, only to find the police at the door yet again.

"I gotta go to the bathroom." Trynten excused herself and got up hurriedly, her heart pounding. She knew Lacie was right, if she was taken to jail, it would be a nightmare one in itself.


	2. Take two

Shout out to Goldenchica2:Thanks for the ever so lovely review, though it was meant to be hateful, I just want to tell you that because of you, you inspired me to update. Cool, no? I'm here at to stay so move over and make room, the site is big enough to share. I just am curious to know if you are **THE** original writer, what did you write? But onto the story, I just wanted to be sure and thanks for giving me some inspiration. Every comment of yours just makes me want to write more and more, lol. So be my guest and say what you got to. You threatened to hit all my stories, well go on then. I'll just keep on writing one way or another. Have a great day and to the others who reviewed, thanks a ton! I love you all. Cheer

Ps-Special thanks to Rana for helping me get outta the block and for being around to keep me rolling with laughter!;)

"I'm not wearing this." Trynten shook her head as she stood in Lacie's room, before a full length mirror. The teal green, haltered shirt showed her stomach and the bellybutton ring she was sporting. She had on a shorter than what she was used to black mini skirt and she had rather high black high heels that laced up almost halfway to her knees. She did like the straps but this just wasn't her style. Her cheery red hair had been left down, curled and some of it was clipped back loosely with some glitzy, glittery hair clips.

"You're right. Not without this." Lacie put a big, linked and looped silver chain belt around her waist from behind, catching Trynten off guard." now you're ready." She nodded, making Trynten groan at the final outcome of the 'make-over'.

"Oh, that makes it all the better." Trynten rolled her eyes, being sarcastic.

"You're right, it does." Letty grinned, being funny and pretending to not hear the sarcasm.

"Seriously, I just should get home." Trynten said, sipping on her corona as Lacie put the finishing touches on her own the outfit. The three girls were headed for a night out, on Trynten's behalf, trying to make her feel better and their need for an escape from the crew making it a perfect excuse.

"So you're sayin you just want to go to jail, eh?" Letty asked, making Trynten sigh with a stressful tone to it. There was a knock at the door and Letty opened it a crack, sticking her neck out. "Can I help you?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's just me." Brian help up his hands innocently.

"Oh, what do you want?" Letty pretended to be annoyed and rolled her eyes, sounding non-caring, as if he didn't matter in her world of existence. He gave a hands over his heart reaction, acting like he was so loved.

"I just came by to see if you guys intend to race some poor, non suspecting suckers." Brian looked at Lacie and Letty.

"Why?" they both asked simultaneously.

"Just because Lace's car isn't ready and so if you plan to make any kinda runs, you better take a different car than hers." Brian explained, looking at Letty, then Lacie. He was shocked they were both dressed up. That didn't happen often. Letty was wearing a pair of new black cargo pants and a red halter necked shirt. He looked at the strapless cream colored mini dress that Lacie was wearing and just wondered how the guys downstairs would let them out of the house.

"And here had faith in you, boy." Lacie teased, grinning as she picked out some shoes. Trynten's mind reeled as she watched the group converse.

"Can I come in?" Jesse knocked on the door.

"Come in." Letty opened the door she was guarding. He looked at Trynten, his cheeks looking like they were blushing. Letty kind of pushed him in the back, and he shrugged himself and coughed.

"Cops were just here. We told them we hadn't saw you." Jesse looked at Trynten and informed her, earning a look from both Letty and Lacie. His eyes widened. "V sent me." he shook his head, not wanting to be yelled at. He was the youngest of the group and the most easily to upset of the group.

"I'll be back." Letty cracked her knuckles and headed for down stairs. She went back to the room, noting Jesse hadn't followed and went back in, grabbed him wordlessly, and headed downstairs. She was greeted by a group of wolf whistles and though flattered, she waved it all away with a typical Letty grin.

"Where you think you're goin?" Dominic asked, sitting on the couch, knocking back a Corona.

"Out with Lace and the new girl. Look, she has to have her shit out by 9 am and she ain't got the money to pay rent so Lace and I are getting her drunk and goin to go get it for her." Letty rolled her eyes at his attitude, not taking his silent temper tantrum.

"Just let her go, she's a wanted girl." Dominic shook his head, his tone of a warning one.

"Oh, and like we're all saints. Let's see, what was on our agenda for tomorrow. Right, it's a day off." Letty mused sarcasticly.

"Just be careful. I don't want to bail either of you out and I need you both to be at work." Dominic shrugged, bluffing like he didn't care.

"So, Jess is pretty hung up on this girl." Letty ignored his warning and tried to stall for time till the other two girls came downstairs.

"He's just hung up on the fact she's an actress." Dominic scoffed, messing with his label and chucking his bottle in the trash.

"You ready?" Lacie asked Trynten as they started for downstairs.

"As I'll ever be." Trynten sighed, looking tired. She tried to appreciate their effort but it was hard when she only wanted to go home to mope and try to figure out her options. They made it out of the house and to the club, the music blaring and the club crowded.

"Hey, can I get an autograph?" A girl asked, walking up to the club.

"You got me mistaken." Trynten looked down, taking a big drink of the rum and coke she had been ordered by Letty.

"Sorry. I thought you were Trynten Adams. You look just like her." The girl slinked away, as if embarrassed.

"What's that all about? You ashamed of your acting career?" Letty asked, playing with her straw as she waited for Lacie to get back with the next round.

"No. Maybe. I don't know. It's not a career anymore. Its' all over and the way I see it, the sooner I get over that, the better." Trynten admitted as Lacie sat down the tray of drinks.

"SO, talk to us and tell us what happened, I'm nosy." Lacie smiled, pushing a lemon, salt , and a shot of tequila towards her.

"It's too long of a story." Trynten sighed sadly.

"We got nothin but time." Lacie sat down, eyeing a guy walking by as she did. He flashed her a grin.

"I thought you and Brian were going out." Trynten said, the words popping out before she realized she had no business saying that. This made Letty howl into big laughter.

"They like to play cat and mouse. He likes her, she likes him. They both too stubborn to admit it." Letty explained, getting a glare from Lacie.

"he's too worried about Dom's thoughts on the whole thing since he dated Dom's real sister and me, I got a man. Not much of one, but I have one." Lacie explained, leaning back after taking her shot.

"Yeah. Sorry." Trynten apologized. Lacie just waved the apology away and grinned.

"Drink up. You got a long ass story to tell so get your throat wet." She advised.

"And while you do that, I'm a head to the dance floor." Letty grinned, her eyes on a guy she had been scoping out for some time now that often was at the race scene.

"I thought… never mind." Trynten laughed.

"They are on the verge of breakin up soon." Lacie said, already knowing from Trynten's confused look that was the thing almost ready to come out of her mouth. "Listen, Strawberry shortcake, I gotta level wit ya." Lacie sighed, ready to lay some stuff out on the table. This got Trynten's attention and not liking the tone of her voice, she downed the shot and chased it with her Corona, finish the whole bottle in second. The tone of bad news scared her. She was so skittish, she figured drinking might take and ease the bad news when it did hit.

"Care to dance?" a guy walked up, looking from Lacie to Trynten as the smoky room and the music seemed to get even more so crowded.

"Nope. See ya." Lacie didn't even look at him.

"Can you just tell me this leveling news you got to tell me before I go into convulsions here?" Trynten asked, taking the shot Lacie pushed towards her.

"Wow, that orphanage really did fuck you up, didn't it? I mean, you are so uptight." Lacie said, making Trynten spit out the shot she had just taken into her mouth, out of pure shock.

"Orphanage? How the hell do you know about that? No one, I mean, no one knows that stuff." Trynten stiffened up, wiping up the spit out drink on her clothes and the table.

"I do. One reason. I was there." Lacie admitted. Trynten's mind reeled, wondering, tabloid magazine?

"I don't find it funny at all. I gotta go." Trynten o got up to leave in a haste. She made a mad dash for outside, Lacie running after her, grabbing her arm.

"Hey, hold up!" She said, frowning at her new found friend running from the problems, something she had learned long ago dint' work.

"Just let me go." Trynten said, whipping around, tears falling down her face. "Why would you do that? Why you trying to make fun of me? I don't know how you know what you know but it's not funny." Trynten jerked away and took off walking.

"Ok, it is true pageant girls are prissy girls. Yeah, Miss Okalahoma, you take off and run when it gets tough. You should be prouda that." Lacie called to her. Trynten shook her head in disgust and kept on going. "I know. Only because I was there, too. I know you had to think twice when I called you strawberry shortcake." Lacie called after her. This made Trynten stop in her tracks, though not turn around. "Trynten, my name hasn't always been Lace. Try Lala." She said, her tone in a softer voice now. Trynten faced her, tears streaming at full force now.

"It doesn't make sense and I still don't trust you." Trynten shook her head, being stubborn. She sat down on the curb, putting her hands in her head. Lacie sat beside her , sighing and giving her a second to take it all in.

"You don't gotta trust me. I know you worked for all that you got to on your own and I know you had to work hard. I remember those nights all that you have done were just hopes and dreams. I ran across you on accident but before tonight I knew you were living there. My boyfriend lives there and we had talked and he told me about you moving in, the famous Trynten Adams." Lacie laughed, her memories of the conversations making her laugh. "I knew from your first movie who you were." Lacie explained.

"Exactly. Were." Trynten sighed.

"Hey, you made that name on your own. You can get it all back, you gotta hell of a drive. Did you ever get adopted by a family?" Lacie asked, seeing Trynten relax a bit.

"No." Trynten said, almost bitterly. "You? I don't get how…" She started.

"Dom?" Lacie asked, raising an eyebrow with a grin.

"Yeah, you always knew what I was thinking. I guess some things don't' change." Trynten smiled somewhat, tossing a rock she had been paying with across the pavement.

"Dom's dad adopted me. Well, his mom and dad but she died like two months after. Dom and I don't get along too well but we're working on it and his dad always preached to him about how important family was so we just say we're blood related to make it real, I guess." Lacie admitted, wondering if Letty was confused as to where they were.

"yeah, I didn't think the difference in you two added up." Trynten smiled.

"Ok, Miss Nancy Drew, you can stop sleuthing." Lacie laughed.

"Wow, I woulda never thought, of all people, to run into you." Trynten laughed, shaking her head as Lacie helped her up.

"yeah, well, don't expect to be running to my bed anymore when there's a storm." Lacie teased, making Trynten punch her in the arm from embarrassment. "So, you still want to be an actress? Or you want to give illegal activities a go?" Lacie joked as they walked back inside.

"Right now, all I wanna do is drink." Trynten admitted, smiling at Letty walking over, looking quite happy.

"wow, you got her to relax." Letty mused, taking a much needed drink from the dance floor. She plopped down in the booth table, seeing Trynten's mascara streaked dried up tears and knew the two had to have come to an understanding.

"Let, did you know Beauty queens liked to drink?" Lacie asked, a mischievous smile on her face.

"I thought you said she was an actress. Jess only told me that and you know Mr. info." Letty laughed as a full tray of drinks were brought to the table.

"Yeah, he is. But you're looking at miss Oklahoma sitting wit us." Lacie laughed.

"Shut up, please. It's not a big deal and it's former and it's over." Trynten rolled her eyes, dismissing it all.

"Why does t all gotta be over with you? Get a positive attitude. But first, drink up." Letty chided as she took a shot. Then she laughed. She was the last person who would tell someone to be positive.

"I say we play quarters." Lacie nodded to Letty, who nodded in agreement.

"Miss Adam's,, what do you have to say to the public about your image and what you're doing now to your young admirers?" a person followed by a camera walked up, shoving a microphone in her face.

"Look, she ain't no Britney Spears so don't try to pull that shit on her." Letty stood up, the bully and no taking bullshit side of her kicking in.

"We just want a word with her. Seclusion for months is not fair to her fans." The guy said, his face hopeful she would respond.

"Ok, I have a comment for you. I am not a role model, I am not into acing anymore and I would appreciate for you t o leave me alone." Trynten said, her pale white face that matched the red hair quickly turned pink and flushed.

"So, you admit you are leaving your fans behind and you don't' care that they are even your fans?" the guy pressed on, getting an exasperated look from Trynten.

"That's it. Your time is up." Letty threw the guy a right hook into his jaw, the bouncers automatically running up the stairs to break up the soon to be altercation.

"Everyone out or I'm calling the cops." The bouncer pointed towards the door. The girls walked out, busting up in laughter at the whole thing.

"You awake back there?" Lacie asked Trynten on the way back to the house.

"Barley, I had enough alcohol to make me just sleepy." She yawned, a smile still on her face. "Can you take me home?" she tried again.

"you gotta be out by nine, what are your plans? On the real, Trent?" Lacie asked, looking in the rear view mirror.

"Can you just take me by to get my stuff and I'll get a hotel and figure it out tomorrow?" Trynten laid her head back on the seat and closed her eyes.

"Yeah, we can do that." Lacie looked at Letty, who nodded. Their plan was halfway competed and they had her cooperation so they were doing better than expected. Trynten trudged up to the collection of condos building and yawned as Letty and Lacie followed.

"Hey girl. You ready to come move it wit me yet?" A guy asked, making Lacie stop following, and holding Letty back.

"No, you don't ever take no for an answer do you?" Trynten asked, rolling her eyes.

"You know you want to. You're just afraid of that image of yours. Come on." The guy put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her towards his door.

"You say I'm the one who cheats. What would you call this?" Lacie stepped around the corner, arms folded and fists balled. Trynten looked shocked and relieved at the same time. But now she was more confused than ever.


	3. Take three

"Come on, come in for a drink." Trynten's six foot three neighbor smiled handsomely at her. Lacie and Letty stepped off the elevator, Lacie holding Letty back, as to get in a listen to what was going on.

"I can't. I have to get goin. But thanks." Trynten smiled, heading to her door, wondering where her two new friends were.

"Thanks for what? You won't give me the time of day." He retorted, his pride obviously hurt but his ego acting the better part of him.

"Sorry, I have a boyfriend." Trynten shrugged, ignoring him. She hated egotistical jerks and this one was not an exception.

"And Mr. Man here, has a girlfriend." Letty walked up, scowling as she caught Trynten and the guy off guard.

"No, Letty, HAD a girlfriend." Lacie said, her eyes boring holes into her supposed boyfriend.

"AW, that's not right." Patch shook his head, looking sly.

"Come on, T, let's get you packed and let them work out the divorce." Letty laughed, making Trynten look confused.

"They're married?" Trynten asked after getting inside her somewhat empty condo.

"No, I was bein a smart ass. You could learn a thing or two, you being a Hollywood hotshot." Letty grinned, making Trynten laugh.

"I am so not a Hollywood anything." Trynten smiled and went back to fiddling with her answering machine.

"My ass." Letty scoffed, looking around to see pageant ribbons and trophies, tiaras, and pictures of herself with other Hollywood Jetsetters. "What'ya call all this?" She asked, touching one of the Miss Oklahoma sashes she was closest too.

"A memory." Trynten nodded, writing down one of the number s left on her machine.

"You musta been through some shit to come out with that attitude." Letty reasoned.

"Guys are asses, I see why so much of the female population is lesbian." Lacie walked in, making Letty and Trynten both look at her." Just kidding, guys. Really." Lacie laughed, looking in awe a the decorations Trynten and Letty had been talking about earlier.

"Were you bullshittin or you really go t a man?" Letty asked, plopping down on the worn couch that was a tan color.

"I do. His name is Fred." Trynten hesitated with her answer.

"Fred? Is he like imaginary?" Lacie teased as Trynten searched for some liquor.

"No, he's real. Just gone a lot." Trynten promised, then sat down. "I can't believe I have to be out by tomorrow. NO way in hell can I believe I let it get this far." She sighed, looking almost sad.

"Knock, knock. We heard Miss Oklahoma needed some help getting her stuff outta here." Leon knocked on the door, pushing it open a crack.

"You called the guys?" Trynten asked, her face turning red as she looked at Lacie and Letty.

"Well, we ain't moving the shit ourselves." Letty rolled her eyes.

"I didn't expect you guys to move it at all." Trynten admitted, feeling like these people were being too nice. She wasn't used to nice people, she wasn't used to people really at all.

"So, we came anyways." Jesse grinned, his eyes taking in the stuff Lacie and Letty had noticed right as they had entered. Her living room was huge, though only a fraction of it was decorated, if you could call it that. Most of her stuff, the tiaras, sashes, trophies, and stuff looked as though it had been thrown up there and left to rot with the dust bunnies. He scanned her condo, then turned red seeing Letty watch him, knowing she knew him well enough to know what he was thinking.

"Where should we start?" Leon asked, as Brian walked in, red faced. Letty gave Leon a confused look and shrugged.

"I just got to get this stuff in boxes and I'm done. I have a hotel that is pretty close to you guys." Trynten said, unhooking some wires from her play station.

"Hotel? Close to us? You mean motel." Vince corrected her, then grinned at her as she nodded.

"you're right. I still use Oklahoma terms." She laughed, not at all smart or irritated with him as most were when they heard his corrections. He was often mistaken on how he was just by first impressions and without anyone getting to know him first.

"Where's Dom?" Letty asked, putting a carefully wrapped tiara in it's case. She was afraid her rough, mechanic hands would break it. She was far from ever being pretty and princess like that and she found it odd this girl didn't realize what it was she had. She gave discredit to everything. She had never grownup with a chance to experience any of that, where she came from, you were lucky to graduate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"You sure you're cool if I come with you all to race wars?" Trynten asked Dominic three weeks later as he worked shirtless on a Honda civic before the shop closed up for the whole next week.

"I don't care. Just know you are on your own and no distracting my boys when they race." Dominic said, not glancing at her as he continued to work. Trynten had made it a daily routine to hang out at the shop during the day and in between job hunting. He was starting to be civil to her and not so gruff and she was starring to feel like the crew was her friends.

"I'm tellin ya, you can't run it unless you change that." Jesse walked in, shaking his head as he talked to Hector, who was following him inside.

"Easy, esse. I won't run it if it don't get fixed." Hector grinned, then nudged Jesse. "She's hot. Can I get an intro?" He asked, looking at her as she stood with her back to the two.

"Good luck. She's dating someone." Jesse shrugged, knowing himself he wished she wasn't.

"Hector, you gonna stand there and bullshit or you gonna come and help me with your car?" Dominic looked up from the hood as he took a break to take a drink of his Pepsi.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm comin." Hector laughed, rolling his eyes and walking over. He stuck out his hand to Trynten. "I'm Hector. And you are?" he asked, shaking her hand pretty fast and hard, making her laugh.

"A little hyper are we?" She asked, holding the clipboard Dominic handed her.

"A name would be nice." Hector continued his quest.

"Trynten." She nodded, looking as Letty and Vince pulled up, the car engines roaring.

"You always here lately." Vince walked in, grinning as though he was up to something. When he grinned and was in a truly good mood, it seemed as though he was up to something.

"Hey, I can leave. I thought I was helping so I could cut you guys some slack and off Dom's list, but hey, I can leave." Trynten laughed, starting for the door.

"You can come with me." Hector nodded, making her roll her eyes. "I gotta a shop that needs some hired help." He said with a grin, holding out his hands to usher her to the door.

"If you got a shop, you must need a mechanic and I'm not qualified for that." Trynten replied, thinking quick on her feet. Letty and Jesse ohh'd.

"Why you say that?' Hector asked, putting his hands over his heart as though hurt or shot.

"You got your car in this shop." Trynten laughed.

"Very assertive, this girl. That's why we keep her 'round." Letty laughed, high- fiving her. The two walked into the office, leaving the guys alone to talk.

"You seen Lace lately?" Trynten asked, perching herself on the desk. Letty shook her head.

"You are such the beauty queen." She rolled her eyes and said in a teasing tone. She found it funny that even the littlest things, Trynten acted differently than the rest of the crew. She didn't just sit on the top of the desk, she sat perched, her body straight. "We gotta work on you." She shook her head, earning a look of shock from Trynten.

"I'm so hurt." She said, putting her hands over her heart and acing like she was shot, mocking Hector. The two busted up laughing. They were interrupted by Letty's cell phone ringing and she answered it, frowning as she answered it with a 'yeah'.

Hey T, can you keep Dom occupied for me?" Letty asked, her eyes hopeful as she stared at a scoffing Trynten.

"How would I keep him busy? It's not like he won't notice you gone." Trynten rolled her eyes, noticing how Letty had been disappearing more and more and that Trynten was often left wit trying to explain her whereabouts when even she didn't know what was going on.

"Just tell them I went to get stuff for tonight." Letty said, her voice pleading. Trynten looked doubtful.

"You worry me." Trynten admitted and then looked at her friend in concern.

"I'm fine. Better than fine, really." Letty laughed. "So, yes, you'll cover for me?" She asked, nodding her head yes to make Trynten do the same. Trynten sighed. More often than lately she had become the relayer that Letty had 'something to do' or what ever the case was. She was always the one to tell Dominic and though he never yelled at her, she could tell he wanted to.

"Thanks Strawberry shortcake. I owe ya one." Letty grabbed her keys and headed for the door.

"Don't call me that." Trynten pointed at her in warning. The name had stuck thanks to Lace and now they all called her shortcake or strawberry shortcake. "An d you owe me Huge." She added as Letty neared the door, still grinning.

"Yeah yeah. Later shortcake." She said, ducking as Trynten threw a wadded up piece of paper at the door, barely missing her. Trynten's' phone rang and every time it did ring, she was hopeful it was someone calling for her to read a script. This was Letty calling.

"You're on my list. What do you want?" Trynten asked, though smiling.

"Tell them I'll be back before we head out. Dom likes to go in a certain kind of way and he might get bitchy if I don't let him know that much." Letty said as she put on her sunglasses and pulled out.

"Gee, thanks for saving part of my arm. You know I'm gonna loose my head already when he snaps, right?" Trynten asked, frowning as she jumped off the desk and walked out, phone on her ear.

"Where's your compadre?" Leon asked, looking at Trynten.

"Where's yours?" She joked, meaning Vince, Jesse, or Brian. She just felt like being a smart ass. He looked at her in shock that she would even joke so smartly. She had been pretty quiet and withdrawn and even more since Lace had left to take a business trip.

"Yo, shortcake, you gonna help me out or what?" Dominic barked, making her good mood kind of disappear behind a cloud. She didn't get why Letty was leaving her to him and in his company so much. Something didn't add up and she was worried.

"yeah, I'm right here." Trynten sighed, grabbing the clipboard.

"Tell Letty I need her to get the keys to unlock the Nos, would ya?" He asked, still working on Hectors car as he talked. Hector circled Trynten, his eyes on her as he did so. Then he nodded.

"Yeah, you know you want me." he scratched his chin and grinned.

"Please, if I wanted you, I woulda already told you." Trynten lied through her teeth, trying to ignore him and figure out how to tell Mr. Temper his own girlfriend had left without telling him, yet again. It woudla been ok if it had only been a few times.

"Trynten, NoS! Letty! Come on. We leave in two hours. I had to move the time up as it is so can we get a move on it?" He asked, stopping to look at her.

"Where's your keys?" She asked, taking a deep breath and trying to not tell him off. He was wearing on her nerves to a degree.

"Where she at?" He put down the wrench.

"Went to the store to get some last minute things." Trynten said, as Dominic walked to his office.

"Letty doesn't do the store much so it had to be important." Dominic called over his shoulder, locking himself in the office after that.

"Way to go, Chica." Hector clapped sarcastically.

"Better stop." She slapped him. She looked at Leon not sure of what to do now.

"He'll be okay. This is the normal before race wars." Leon came up behind her and rubbed her shoulders to make her relax.

"Great. Tell Lace to come home." Trynten laughed.

"I second that order." Brian walked in, grinning. He was rough looking and dressed to do some work.

"You know you like her, man." Hector snapped his fingers as though I told you so.

"Shshh. That is her friend you're being all loud mouth in front of." Brian punched him playfully.

"Just cause you white boys can't take being upfront and straight up." Hector punched him back, earning a whatever from Brian.

"And your kind can't take no for an answer, right?" Trynten asked, smiling. Brian looked at her and had the same shocked look she had managed to get out of Leon.

"She slammed you, bro. Fair and square." Brian shrugged, getting to work on his engine of his car that had been parked there earlier in the day.

"Yeah, she likes to hurt the male species can tell." Hector sniffled and hung his head. Trynten looked at the office door, truly concerned for Dominic. They had become good friends, as had she and the rest of the crew and she finally felt like she was at peace with her life, acting career or not.


	4. Take four

Hollywood Hotshot

"She said she would be here." Trynten told an irritated Dominic as they all sat outside the Toretto house, standing out by their cars. It was almost dusk and the crew was ready to leave for race wars. The only problem was that Letty, untrue to her word was not there and now Dominic was getting pissy.

"She sad that when?" Dominic asked as he paced, checking to make sure the lock of the trailer Mia was driving was locked from behind.

"Earlier." Trynten chewed on her lip, really hating to be the one caught in the middle. She was rethinking her friendships at this point and wished Lace was here to help her out.

"Dom! Take it easy on her. It's not her fault." Leon said, giving Trynten a squeeze of her shoulders, making her grin despite the situation.

"Hey guys, sorry so late. I got held up." Letty said, roaring up and getting out of her car, her boots with the flames the first to make an appearance.

"Where the hell you been?" Dominic asked, scowling the job that was usually Vince's. Letty kept her head held high, a grin on her face, and just shrugged.

"I have been to the store to buy us all food, duh." Letty replied with a smirk, She motioned to the sacks in the back of her seat, and Dominic backed off, no doubt feeling like she was lying but he knew he couldn't call her on it. "You want to eat, right?" She asked, making the boys laugh. Dominic just walked away, not saying a word.

"Let's get goin, guys. The three hour drive in the night should slow down our rush of cops." Dominic said, silently fuming as he busied himself with loading last minute things.

"You ridin with me, Shortcake?" Letty asked, then noticed the silver Jetta with the thinner racing tires she was standing by. "You are not racing, Tell me you are not gonna attempt it again." She groaned. Trynten's head was high, her chin defiant.

"I just might. Dom has been working with me." Trynten laughed, hoping she was pulling a good bluff.

"You need more than his help, no offense." Vince patted the girl on the shoulder, making her hit him.

"NO comments from the peanut gallery needed, boy." She shot back, making Jesse and Leon laugh.

"What happened to that nice shy girl we helped out a few weeks ago, V?" Leon asked, making it a point to stare at Trynten. She stuck her tongue out at him.

"You can thank Lace and Letty for that, Cuz." Brian added, his car starting up with a loud roar.

"Just because you can't get up never and she's not here to defend herself, you have to talk about her. It's okay. I'll tell her all about it when she gets back." Trynten laughed, shaking a finger mockingly. She looked at Jesse.

"You okay?" He asked, seeing her uncertainty in her face. He couldn't believe how genuine she was. Never in a million years would he have thought an actress could be this sweet and sincere and just nice. His admiration for her had grown more and more every day.

"I just hope I can drive this thing." She said, her voice soft, to keep the others from hearing her. She had really relaxed and opened up top the crew more than any of them had expected but she still had her moments where she didn't even have faith in her own self.

"Sure you can. It's all in your mind." Jesse grinned, opening the door for her and leaning down by the door as she worked on the buckle. He handed her the radio he and her would be sharing. "Just follow my lead and follow behind Letty and if there is cops, Dom and V and Leon will be in front to hand them and distract them, ok?" Jesse asked, meeting her eyes. She nodded and took a deep breath. She hadn't drove since she had crashed her car.

"Let's roll." Leon yelled, walking around to his side of he his car and getting in, holding up his two-way before getting in. Dominic took off and the rest followed, in a line just as the sun set and was almost gone under the bright orangish clouds. They drove for what seemed hours, Vine and Leon playing cat an mouse on the highway, only to be showed up by Brian and then they would settle down and fall back into line. The two ways were quiet for the longest time after that and eventually they made it to their destination of Race Wars.

"What the hell? It's like a damned circus." Vince muttered, stepping out of his car cautiously. He looked at the camera crew and news reporters and just looked at Dominic as to what to do. The racing scene never had been publicized, reason not only being illegal, it just wasn't s something normal. IT was frowned upon. Any kind of publicity was bad publicity.

"Oh shit." Trynten stepped out of her borrowed car, a sinking feeling in her stomach.

""There she it!" A voice yelled excitedly and immediately the red head found herself swarmed with news crews and cameras. "Where have you been? Are you into drugs as well?" An anxious reporter wasted no time in asking the questions that many of the other reporters were also throwing at her. She tried to push away the microphones and cameras and turned away, only to find more behind her.

"GO away." Trynten tired to be nonchalant, not acting as they wanted her to. Acting pissed off or mad made them report that you had tempers due to drugs or that you were simply a 'bitch'.

"You owe it to the public, Miss Adams. You want to tell us how you ended up with these street racing thugs?" The reporter who had made Trynten's life a living hell asked, and the rest of the reporters became quiet, intent on hearing her answer.

"She did this shit on purpose! To get back her damned career." Vi en muttered, pissed that she had brought all this attention to their secluded yearly event.

""She needed to get her career back on track….you're right. What better way to do it than to use us?" Jesse slapped his legs, as he stared at the group surrounding ht girl he thought so highly of. He sat on the hood of the car and leaned his head down in between his legs, his hands covering his head.

"I'm sorry, Jess." Leon patted him on the back, knowing Jesse was upset. He watched, almost speechless as the media kept grilling Trynten, not letting her move an inch.

"If you give us an interview, we will keep your friends out it all." A guy that had made Trynten's life a living hell during her most famous and not so famous years smiled, obviously proud of himself. He was a higher member of the paparazzi and had known Trynten way before her famous days. He had been the reason he had cost her the Miss America title and her reputation more than once. He had been following her around since she was an amateur pageant contestant.

"How nice of you…" Trynten muttered, feeling trapped and as though she couldn't breath. She looked at the crew and met Dominic's eyes. He gave her a cold stare and turned around, joining the others who were walking away. That look hurt her more than anything else she could remember.

""Miss Adams, Miss Adams." Jesse mocked at the camp they had made it to bitterly as he sat, still in shock at her ploy for fame. "I thought she was really the real thing. I thought…. forget it, she was just using us." Jesse threw a stick into the brightly glowing fire Dominic had made in disgust.

"Maybe she didn't know." Letty tried to be positive, though she wasn't even able to convince her own self.

"She knew." Vince scowled, giving Jesse a Corona before sitting down beside him.

"You guys should shut that bullshit up." Lace walked up, her frown on her face obvious to why she was mad. "How could you guys just assume the worst? She's not like that." Lace said, flicking Jesse on the head as she walked by him. "You, OF all people, Jess. I am disappointed in you." Lace lectured, getting her stuff out of Brian's car as she talked.

"You don't seem to be around her enough to know, thank you very much." Vince countered her words, defending his 'little' brother.

"Really? That's so funny you should say that. I grew up with ol' girl. Yeah, when I had no parents. I lived in the same orphanage she did. In fat, I used to take care of. She's too fucking nice and soft spoken to tell anyone no or speak up for herself." Lace said, stopping to glare at Vince. She looked at Brian. And Then Letty. "Will you two help me find her?" She asked, her words softer now. They both nodded as Lace, not waiting for a reply, took off on her own.

"Hold up. I'll help. Just slow down." Brian jogged to catch up to Lace. " You seem really mad." He said, trying to make small talk as Letty joined him on the left side of him.

"Just pisses me off, no one thought maybe she coulda used some help. She, if I recall correctly, has worked her ass off for you guys, never took advantage of you , any of you, and has always been nothing but genuine." Lace lectured as she kept her brisk pace.

"You're right." Letty agreed, knowing Lace was right. She especially knew this to be true. Trynten was working at the shop and at nights she did bartending job at a bar and stayed at a hotel, refusing to live in eh already over occupied house of the Toretto's

"You guys just left her. Nice way to welcome her to wars." Lace seethed as she walked. There was still the circle of camera crews, though Trynten was nowhere to be found.

"I'll check the bathrooms.' Letty said, heading off in the opposite direction. Lace looked at Brian.

"I know I shouldn't be shocked at how they all acted. I guess I just can't believe you and even Letty. I mean, you two have some kinda conscience. At least most of the time." Lace said, her words sounding like they could cut through bricks.

"That's low, I'm hurt." Brian said, the whole time his eyes looking around for Trynten.


	5. Take five

Hollywood Hotshot

Take 5

"Where do you get off?" Lace tapped the girl reporter who had been grilling her friend. As she turned around, she pulled back her clutched fist and punched her with brute force.

"Who are you?" The lady asked, caught off guard and in a weak voice.

""Askin questions is what got you in this position in the first place." Lace replied icily as the other reporters stared at her in shock. "You wannna be next? My girl over there goes at it better than me." Lace warned in a deep voice, gesturing to Letty, who gave a sarcastic wave accompanied by a scowl. The reporters, for the most part, backed up.

"So, she's your girl huh? Lesbian, I believe that is the term?" The guy that Trynten had been tortured by asked. Lace turned around, her face a total look of 'you're going to die by my bare hands' and started for him.

"You dumb because of no brain or you have one that doesn't work?" Lace spat, ready to pounce, working on closing in on the distance between her and him.

"I got this, Lace. Go find her." Vince nodding, shocking Letty and Lace. Soon after his words and his promise, he punched the paparazzi reporter.

"T!" Letty called, sticking her head in the bathrooms to find no answer. She was looking for any trace, including her small frame, footprints, or any sounds to show a sign of where she had run off to. She followed a darker path that was by a small pond. The silver moonlight shone on the water, making it look like a scene in a movie. "If I die out here, it's on yo hands and I'm a haunt yo ass." Letty muttered, being creeped out by the surreal scene because it reminded her of a typical horror movie setting. The sounds of revving engines, loud mufflers, and tires squealing on blacktop had been halted for the night and it was total silence. Not even crickets made chirping noises and the wind wasn't blowing. Letty, being superstitious, though not admitting that either, hated full moons. She hated water as well. She cursed in Latino as she made her way closer to the pond. Her two secret fears put together made her so on edge she jumped at the bushes rustling. Then she laughed at herself and blew her hair out of her face. It was then she saw the drawn up, her petite figure in the moonlight, sitting on the edge of the bank, legs drawn to her knees and her arms around her legs.

"Kill me and get it over with." Trynten begged as she wiped huge tears off her shimmering eyes after hearing Letty's footsteps in the squishy muddish sand of the bank.

"Nope." Letty said, her tone almost scolding as she sat down beside her. Then it dawned on her she didn't know what to say. It was odd she even liked this girl. When Lace had shown up, they had fought physically and with each other at every opportunity until they both realized that neither was going to give in and were too stubborn. IT was then they realized they both had the same qualities in them that made them become friends. Now the two acted as though they could be sisters. Why she liked a new person, a girl, at that, was beyond her. She just seemed likeable, although quite a different type than her normal preference. Only Mia had been able to get past Letty's tough exterior and that had been because the two had grown up together.

"Go away, please." Trynten chocked out, fully sobbing as she tried to talk and be understood with her throat so tight.

"No, come on, chica." Letty put an awkward arm around her and Trynten sobbed harder. This left Letty more uncomfortable. She couldn't' remember ever shedding very many tears, at least not in front of anyone.

"I give in, I really do." Trynten lifted her head up and looked at Letty's dark chocolate eyes.

"No. You have come to far. We just all…we just always assume the worst and this time we were wrong is all. And I'm saying sorry for all of the crew." Letty admitted, looking down. This didn't seem to change Trynten's crying so Letty decided to make an attempt at a joke. Her wit was by far the most untouchable of al the crew. "You know what they say 'bout people who assume, right?" She asked, grinning in typical Letty fashion.

"NO. What?" Trynten sniffled, wiping her eyes and taking a deep breath.

"It makes Asses out of you and me." Letty grinned, getting a soft smile from Trynten. "Should I go get Lace? She's better at this whole comforting thing." Letty offered with her admission, making Trynten laugh.

"You're doin fine." Trynten shook her head, then was quiet as she watched the circles in the water swirl randomly. She loved any types of water and loved to watch animals under the surface make impressions on the water, such as circles. "I'm just.. Everything I do. Especially the guy who uses me for a hunt in a game. My careers over and I'm fine with hat. I just want them to leave me alone, no matter what it costs." Trynten sighed sadly.

"Those reporters are a pain in the ass." Letty agreed. "You sure you want to give up that career of yours?" She asked, throwing a stone into the water and creating a rippling effect. There was a big splash and Letty Jumped up ready to dart. This made Trynten giggle.

"Its' just a fish." Trynten promised.

"Big ass fish but I'll try to take yo word." Letty said as Trynten got up to follow her.

"Then why you leavin?" Trynten joked, calling after Letty.

"We can talk on the way back. Got some work to do." Letty lied, keeping her brisk pace. Trynten caught up. "You sure you'll be okay?" She asked, not stopping.

"Yeah. I just .. I was just starting to have fun with you all and now they don't trust me, hate me,…" She trailed off, the both of them waling toward the campgrounds, it being pretty quiet. All of the racers were waiting for ht official start of race wars.

"Still can. Come on. Lace set em straight so the reporters gotta be long gone by now." Letty laughed, loving the replay in her head. It caused her to laugh out loud.

"What's so funny?" Trynten looked lost, though intrigued.

:"Thinking how V punched ol' boy out and Lace punched one of the ladies out. It was great entertainment." Letty grinned, her boots kicking up sand as she walked.

"Vince punched out someone? Lace doesn't shock me." Trynten's mouth dropped.

"Yup and you missed it, chica." Letty said, walking up on eh campsite.


	6. Take six

Take 6

"T, you okay?" Leon asked, looking up from the fire he was building on his knees at the campsite.

"I don't know….you guys really thought I brought all those stupid reporters to sell you out." Trynten folded her arms in a hostile manner, not letting them get off so easily, her long lashed eyes eyeing each of them, her gaze resting lastly on Jesse.

"Well, what would you think?" He asked, putting his laptop on the makeshift table he had made from the sawed off tree stump he had found.

"Uhhh, I'd trust my friend a bit more than all of you trusted me put together." Trynten sighed, looking for Lace and Vince to give them the proper thanks they deserved.

"Look, we're sorry." Leon got up, walking over to her, handing her a corona as though a peace offering.

"Coronas are valuable. I'd take it." Letty laughed, whispering in Trynten's ear, making her laugh in amusement. Trynten glared at Leon, her hand outstretched as if she was debating on whether to take it to or not and with an attitudish air about her. Leon shook his head, irritated, and started to walk away and then Trynten broke into a huge smile.

"Thought you were nice and naïve but every day you seem to prove us wrong." Leon laughed, amused and shocked by her fake out.

"She learns from the best of 'em." Lace smirked, walking up with Vince behind her.

"From who then? Couldn't be you." Brian joked, scooting back to miss the expected pop he knew was coming. He misjudged and sure enough, received a thump from Lace on the forehead.

"Blondes don't know what they talk bout anyways, all that babbling." Lace rolled her eyes, getting a look of 'oh no you didn't' from Brian.

"They do know how to run." Brian jumped up, taking off after Lace, who had given chase and headed in the opposite direction of him. Jesse headed her off and the two cornered her, making her laugh and inch backwards.

"I said nothing to you, Jess. Why you gotta sell me out like this?" Lace asked as Brian tickled her in the ribs.

"I'm blonde too, ya know. Us blondes gotta stick together." Jesse walked away, laughing as Lace made a scream for mercy. She stopped laughing to meet Brian's crystal blue eyes, turning serious.

"Shouldn't be so mean, you know." Brian winked at lace, making her burst into laughter and she took her chance. She broke free and got up, dusting herself off indignantly.

"Yeah, yeah." She laughed, looking at Letty, who was getting some lip-gloss from Trynten. She found this odd, as Letty never dressed up or wore lip-gloss, especially at Race Wars.

"You sure you'll be okay?" Trynten asked, a line of worry etched in her forehead.

"Yeah, I run this place, no worries." Letty laughed, closing the lip gloss and throwing on her black leather coat as Lace walked up.

"Out for a midnight run of sorts?" Lace put an arm around Letty and smiled wickedly.

"I'm gonna go into town and have some fun. Shh." Letty laughed, making Lace nod.

"Yeah, I got your shush." She pretended to make a fist and then laughed too. "Have fun." She nodded, walking back to the campsite. She ran into Brian, it being dark. "Sorry." She said, giggling of sorts.

"No problem." He grinned, looking her up and down, though not noticeably. He kept his intentions and feelings quite close to him, making it hard for anyone to know what he really thought of Lace, though the group had their suspicions.

"SO, what you doin out here?" Lace asked, seeing Letty almost walk up and quickly turn the other way. She darted across the midnight shadows and was still in midst of being found out so Lace put her arm around Brian, walking with him as she did so.

"I was just getting in a few bets on the races tomorrow." Brian grinned, looking shy in the silver casted glow of the moonlight.

"Uhhuh." She nodded, leading him in front now, by the hand.

"What you doin out here all alone?" Brian asked, his feet dragging as he liked being pulled by her. He gave up resistance, her pull being harder since he had originally resisted and now he was inches within her face. He took a deep breath and breathed in her Tommy girl perfume, loving how she smelled. His heart was thumping hard as he stared intensely into her eyes, not letting her look away by grabbing her chin and making her look at him.

"What pretty blue eyes you have." She cooed, almost as though under a spell.

"You're pretty period." He whispered, his hand holding the back of her hand and ready to move in for a kiss. She smiled, not wanting to move away or out of his arms.

"You're a sweet talker, Mr. O'Connor." She laughed, trying to pull back. He had anticipated that and didn't let her. He just kept staring at her intensely, his look of longing making it known at that very moment what his feelings were.

"You should know me by now." He said, his voice a whisper.

"Ohhh.." Lace said, pulling back, her pull more of an attempt this time, sighing.

"What's wrong?" Brian sensed her change of heart and looked at her, a worried expression on his face.

"I can't do this. I want to, don't get me wrong." She sat down on the concrete bench that was near the concession stand they had walked upon. He rubbed her shoulders, knowing exactly what she was going to say and why. Ever since Mia had died, nothing was the same.

"Yeah, no, I know, it's fine." Brian sighed, running a hand through his hair and sitting beside her. He was quiet.

"No, it's not. I …if things weren't so strained with Dom…If I wasn't always on his bad side and I knew he could handle what ever it is we were bout to do, trust me, I would tell him in a heartbeat." Lace sighed, her sigh now one of annoyance.

"Yeah, but Dom's gotta know that some of it was for the greater good and I miss her too and …." He put his head in his hands, his heart truly tormented.

"Yeah, I know what you're getting at. I didn't know her too well but Dom's still hurting and so is the team. You and me start something, it'll be the end of you and me." She looked at him, his pitiful looking self and rubbed his back.

"If I woudla…" he said, his voice thick with emotion and she put a finger to his lips.

"No, you can't do that. I could do that on a daily basis." Lace played with his golden hair, hugging him from behind as he tried to choke back his tears.

"Two years and all this still ruling us. It's sad." Brian's watery eyes looked into Lace's, who gave a nod.

"One day it'll be the past and it'll be put to rest." She said confidently. "That's what I'm here for. To help out you guys, not be causing issues." Lace said, almost mad at herself. Every day the attraction to Brian had grown, and she knew it, though she was unsure how to fight it. At least now they were able to talk it over and they both felt the same way.

"Yeah." Brian answered his ringing phone and nodded, listing to the other line. He grinned, hung up and looked at Lace. "You ready for a a party?" He asked, his grin back and his stare in her eyes filled with respect and something else she couldn't figure out. That understanding, his warmness, his genuine manner had been what had attracted her to him in the first place, she realized, scolding her self mentally as she shook her head.

"Parties are nothing new. Why you so excited?" She asked, feeling her own anger at herself coming out at him.

"My boy, Rome, the one I told you all bout. He's here and he's not alone." Brian laughed, putting an arm around Lace, this time in more of a teammate fashion and heading back to camp.

"Company, huh?" Lace asked, intrigued for his benefit. She licked her lips, breathing in his rough smell and again felt herself almost resenting Mia for being the reason they couldn't be together. Then she felt guilty, knowing Mia was dead and not able to come back.

"Three kegs and a Miami businessman." Brian laughed at his own name he gave his friend. They walked up to see a tricked out ford truck the campsite, completing the open circle Letty's car had left open around the trailers. "Tej Parker." Brian took off running, tackling his friend.

"Whoa there, boy. Mess me up and I'm not gonna roll on yo side tomorrow,." Tej threatened, acting angry then broke into smiles and pulled Brian into a half hug.

"Uhhmmm." Roman coughed, not liking being left out, his childish side coming out in him.

"Mr. Roman Pearce." Brian laughed, mocking his name and sounding authoritative.

"What up, Brah?" He asked, knocking his knuckles with Brian's. "Who's the girl?" He asked under his breath, his eyes on Lace.

"Not up for grabs." Brian laughed, his eyes not meeting Roman's as he turned serious.

"You always did suck at lying." Roman accused, shaking his head as though disgusted. The two broke up into laughter.

"Come on, Man, I'll introduce you to them all." Brian said, watching Tej mess with the kegs. "This is Lace. Well, she was here." Brian said, looking confused.

"Told you, boy, stay off the crack. You wouldn't hallucinate as much. Tej teased, shaking his head with a deviant grin.

"Not funny." Leon walked up, though laughing. He looked at Brian. "You seen anyone? I can't find Let, V, or Trynten" he said, his frown one of annoyance.

"Nah, man. They're around. Lace just went missing to." Brian said, still looking around and slapping Roman, who was as well looking for her.

"What? Man, I didn't do anything." He said guiltily then moved out of hitting range, knowing Brian could read him just as well.

"Yeah, whatever. You two need to grow up." Tej threw a stick at them, grunting as he carried the keg, nodding towards the truck. "Get busy, slackers, there's one for each of us." He said, following Leon.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Can I help you?" The concession lady asked, putting up the closed sign as Trynten stared at the menu.

"Don't you know it's tradition not to eat the night before wars?" Letty asked, tossing a stick at her, with a smile. Trynten turned around and smiled, half scared and half relived that it was someone she knew and not a reporter.

"Really? They are closing anyways." Trynten nodded, thanking the lady and walking away, closer to Letty.

"You are so naïve." Letty said, sounding disappointed in an affectionate way, making Trynten stick out her tongue in retaliation. She got closer to Letty and Letty seemed a bit nervous. She was standing in front of a bush; her hands in her pockets, making Trynten give her an odd look. Letty never acted nervous. "What?" Letty asked as Trynten circled her vulture style.

"Nothing. You're just acting odd, is all." Trynten smiled, giving up and sitting down to take a deep breath. She loved being out here, the pine smell of the tress was so enticing and almost had it's own drunkenness effect on her. She loved the smell of burning wood, the sound of tires squealing every so often and the whole scene was just almost overwhelming. She wanted to stay here forever.

"You're the one staring into space, miss personality." Letty countered and laughed. "You heading back yet?" She asked, her body shaking from the cool desert wind that had a hint of mist from the overhead clouds looming over the moon now as they blew past.

"No. I'm gonna enjoy the silence, the peace, the smells." Trynten smiled, laying on her back on the table. She didn't think too much of it being weird, being that the concision stand people had already left. She took in another deep breath and watched the clouds assemble and reassemble as the winds drove them across the midnight blue sky, creaking a picture perfect image to relax with.

"What you doing out here all alone? Where did your girl Letty go?" A voice asked, making Trynten jump up. He smiled, his corners of his eyes creasing as he did so. He sat down beside her.

"How'd you know Letty was just here?" She asked, not knowing who the guy was.

"I was just behind her and I…" he trailed off, letting the remark go as Trynten waited for the rest of his answer. He grinned. "Never mind, it's nice to meet you." He held out his hand, making her look at him in the eyes, her big eyes not sure why she didn't feel right with him. He was almost creeping her out. "Johnny Tran, and you are?" He asked, the name not registering to her as she took a deep breath and sat back down. He looked pleased at this and continued to stare at her.

A/n: Shout out to Penny, thanks for always being so chipper and 'honest'. Heheh, and to miss Megan, **OKC BLAZERS rock the hockey sticks your boys try to play with, lol.** You know I love ya, lol. To the rest of the readers, sorry it's been so long for me to update and I hope you'll be really really kind and shoot me a review! Who knew that a little button that small could make someone's day go so hugely good, lol. Thanks for reading and I'll see you in an update soon! Love, cheer girl


	7. Take seven

A/n: Just wanted to tell you all I am still alive and around, I just have been under heavy doctor's orders and medicine, lol. I broke my arm I write and type with so that is why I am so long in updating. I hope this update is good and I hope to see some reviews, as I am in a withdrawal as we speak, lmao. I love you all and thanks for being so patient! Love Cheer

Take 7…..

"Hey, I want to introduce you to Trynten but I can't find her." Brian said, his frown evident he was thinking on where she might be.

"I just saw her over across the creek at that makeshift concession stand." Letty piped up, looking peppy, even for her. They all looked at her in shock at her happy go lucky tone.

"What's got you so happy?" Dominic frowned, thinking on how odd it was for her to be in such a good mood, especially at this late at night.

"Nothin. Gawd, can't a girl be happy?" Letty asked, moving the long piece of dark black hair out of her face as she went back to her familiar scowl.

"He's just upset he's getting old and grumpy." Lace put an arm around her friend and smiled, giving Brian a wink to indicate she was again ribbing her stepbrother.

"You must be the life of the party we heard so much about." Roman grinned, an eyebrow raised, his eyes on her full stop. He got another hit from Brian and stopped staring at her only for a second.

"Yeah, that's me all right." Lace laughed sarcastically making Leon and Vince laugh at her humor. The bon fire was at full force now, crackling and making snapping noises and even managed to put off enough heat to mirror a small town fire out of control. Jesse stood over it, warming his hands as the group carried on.

"I should go back and get her." Letty coughed, glad to have an excuse to get out of Dominic's eagle eye vision he was staring her down with and she was ignoring.

"Yeah, I'll go with you." Lace coughed, eager to let the boys talk amongst themselves. The two girls walked, Letty carrying a Corona and Lace a blue plastic cup filled with a mixed drink. "Should we be so nice as to bring T one?" She asked, grinning.

"Nope. She can meet the new guys and get her own." Letty laughed, her walk almost as if she were already tipsy. They stopped, hearing deep voices talk and noted with a look to each other that one was Trynten's.

"That's Johnny fucking Tran." Lace exclaimed, turning red at the mention of him.

"Oh hell no. I'm a cut his balls off right now." Letty grabbed her pocketknife and started for the two, only to be held back by Lace.

"Wait. No, we can't. We have to let Brian take him down the legal way." Lace said, her full trust in Brian apparent.

"The only thing we have to do is pay taxes and die and even then, I can manage to avoid the tax thing. I throw out the rules when it comes to my girl and him killing her." Letty growled, her voice fierce.

"I know he killed her and I know he deserves to die. But I want him to find Bubba in the prison system and suffer, Let. I hate him just as much as you do. Believe me, he's messed up my life." Lace said dejectedly, feeling guilty again for hating him for Mia's death and it being the reason her and Brian couldn't be together.

"Gawd, I hate it when you make sense." Letty growled, her knife still in hand but her hand down now. Before it had been raised as though she was going to attack him like a wildebeest hunter and full on stab him in the back, knife raised.

"Stay here." Lace said, clearing her throat, and knowing if Letty came within tow inches of him she would kill him.

"Yeah, I'm going back to camp." Letty huffed, still not convinced tonight was his time to die and meet the hell he belonged in.

"No, stay here." Lace said, taking off in the bushes and crossing over, not giving Letty any time to argue or protest. She was good at doing that sort of thing. Probably why she always won over Dominic, Letty mused to herself.

"Trynten, Come on. Party time." Lace said, her voice louder than she had intended, making Johnny jump.

"Oh, and would I be invited?" Johnny asked, his voice silky sweet, making Lace want to jump on him as Letty had previewed she was going to earlier.

"NO, hell no. You are lucky if we let you live, asshole." Lace spat, hate in her voice and making Trynten look undoubtedly confused.

"Aww, you still blame me?" He asked, his hands out in front of him and Lace pushing Trynten back and away from him as she pulled out a pistol.

"DO you want to die tonight? I can kill you, though I would rather see you rot in prison." She warned, her voice as deep as a tiger's growl to a soon to be dinner.

"I don't understand." Trynten said, in shock and awe at Lace's 180 spin of an attitude. Trynten stood with her feet planed in the ground as Johnny slanked away, obviously not wanting a confrontation to come of tonight's' word exchange.

"He's bad. He killed Mia." Lace shook her head, not wanting to let the tears ruin her tough exterior.

"How is he bad when he's dating Letty?" Trynten asked, her eyes disbelieving of her friend.

"He's not. How would you come up with an idea like that?" Lace asked, obviously amused by this wild idea of her friend's. She walked to where Letty should have been and shook her head, angry she had bolted.

"Letty was just here. I thought I heard the two of them talking and that is who she was sneaking away with these last days. He even said she's sweet and…." Trynten trailed off, her thoughts and words stopped by Lace's growing angered expression.

"Is that so? He was here when she was here? Tell me more, oblige and amuse me, would ya?" Lace asked, her teeth gritted. Trynten went on to explain what her and Tran had talked about and how Letty's sneaking away fit all together like a jigsaw puzzle.

"I didn't know. I should be quiet." Trynten said miserably, hating to be the one to rat out her other good friend. She had had no idea that this was going to be such a huge problem and now she felt too guilty for words.

"No, that makes sense why she didn't want to stay. Do me a favor and stay as far away from him as you can, okay?" She asked, her voice softer now, seeing she was scaring the timid redhead. She looked bewildered and confused and Lace felt sorry for her and those big doe eyes of hers looking so lost. She almost felt it unfair to drag the poor girl into all this.

"Yeah. I will. I didn't know." Trynten said honestly with a nod. They headed back to the campsite in silence, Trynten mulling over the recent events and Lace working on her thoughts as to how to handle this all.

"There is the girl missing in action." Jesse nodded to Roman and Tej.

"Roman, this is Trynten Adams and T, this is Roman Pearce and Tej Parker." Brian introduced, handing Trynten a Corona.

"Hello, Miss Adams.' Tej stuck out his hand and grinned obviously liking what he saw. He got a punch from Roman and the two went at punching each other for a second, making Trynten laugh at their boyishness.

"Keep her busy, would ya, Bri?" Lace batted her eyes, making Brian look at her as though he knew something was up.

"Lace, you have that look…." He started. She was already walking towards a trailer that was being occupied by Letty and Dominic. She went in, not bothering to knock and stared at Letty.

"Can we talk outside?" Lace asked, her arms folded.

"Look, I got tired…" Letty nodded and went outside, not prepared for what happened next at all. Lace reached over, her fist balled and punched her. "What the hell, Lace?" She asked, her mouth dropped open in pure and utter shock.

"How the fuck could you do that to this family?" Lace asked, still swinging and Letty blocking the swings.

"What are you talking about?" Letty asked, her teeth gritted and as the two dropped to the ground, clutching each other and swinging.

"You know good and damn well what I'm talking about." Lace accused, her lip now split as she busted Letty right in the nose.

"No, I don't. Start talking." Letty hauled off and hit her friend that she had come to trust. She was confused as to why Lace would do this and yet, angered more than she had been in a long time.

"Break this shit up!" Dominic stood between them, Vince holding Letty back and Dominic holding his stepsister. The whole crew was now around them, Trynten stood, horrified at the sight of the two going at each other.

"No, you tell him, Letty." Lace pointed to her so called friend as she took deep labored breaths and spit out blood from her lip.

"Tell him what?" Letty asked, her eyes wide and questioning now as she too, stood, breathing heavily.

"What you been fucking doin behind Dom's back." Lace threw back at her in a harsh hateful tone.

"YOU wanna clue me in as well? You have lost your damn mind!" Letty yelled, her expression of hurt showing through her anger and fierce face.

"Where you been sneakin off to and more importantly, with who." Lace yelled back, Trynten walking away and feeling sick to her stomach. She didn't know she was being followed.

"What do you care? It was all good a few days ago." Letty yelled, her heart broken by her friend's betrayal.

"I woulda never thought you would stoop so low as for it to be with TRAN." Lace yelled back, making the whole crew's mouths drop, including Letty's .

DUN DUN DUN! Please , I say, please leave me a review! Love, cheer girl


	8. Take 8

Take 8………………………………….

"TRAN?" Letty yelled in sync with Dominic's shocked and hurt sounding voice.

"Yes, Tran. Don't play dumb with me." Lace warned, backing up and looking like she was ready to pounce. Now she was being held back by Brian and Letty was being restrained by Leon and Dominic.

"I may be cheating but you know I would NEVER go out with Tran." Letty yelled, struggling to break free of the grip on her golden, hot sunburnt skin. She painfully looked away, avoiding Dominic's hurt look.

"Really? Why don't I buy that?" Lace asked, her eyebrow raised in doubt.

"Because I loved Mia." Letty yelled at the top of her lungs, again trying to break free, this time in a rage to charge at Lace. It was then Lace seen the ready to drop tears, a sight Letty was not known ever to have had, flooding her dark brown eyes.

"Then who? " Lace asked, her voice returning back to normal and her questioning look more of a look that showed she realized her words had hurt Letty.

"Some greaser that works out here in the summer." Letty blew her hair out of her face, her fighting at a halt. The boys let the two girls go and they stood as if they were frozen in place.

"You were fine up until this point." Letty looked down, her voice sounding as though she felt awkward.

"And I was, Let. What he does to you, you can do to him." Lace stared at her stepbrother, her angry eyes drilling holes through him as he took off for his car with a fast stride. The look of betrayal on his face was not going to be one she could forget soon.

"You thought I would date Tran? In all honesty?" Letty asked, not concerned with Dominic right now. She was sunburnt, tired mentally and physically and she knew he would need his time to cool off and come to terms on his own.

"It's my fault." A timid voice spoke up from behind them, her gaze looking down at the ground.

"Let's go get some beer in town." Brian coughed, leaving the girls to be alone and settle the problems on their own.

"I want to stay and see some more cat fights." Roman objected, acting as if leaving was cheating him. Brian popped him on the back of the head and pushed him towards his car, shaking his head.

"My money woulda been on Brian's woman." Tej said in a quiet voice as they headed to the car, earning a sock in the arm from Brian.

"She's not my woman. Stop it." Brian scolded, his attention on his car on purpose. His friends knew when he was lying. He looked back to see Trynten standing there, her head down, her hands in her pockets, like a scolded child and he crossed his fingers things would work out between those three.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"It's Vince?" Trynten asked as the girls were around the campfire, all alone and roasting marshmallows as only girls could do after such a punching match.

"Better not let those eyes fall outta the sockets." Letty teased, grinning and seeming to be back to her old self.

"But Vince?" Trynten asked, shaking her head.

"Yes." Letty and Lace both replied.

"I knew that is who you had hinted at but then the whole misunderstanding thing." Lace chewed off the burnt marshmallow in between words, nodding at Letty.

"Well, you wouldn't let me just come out and say it." Letty threw a twig at her, almost giggling like they were at a middle school slumber party. This caused Lace to throw it back, accidentally hitting Trynten. She picked it up and looked at both girls, as though deciding who needed to be ht more.

"You're both scary. Never mind." She laughed, putting it neatly and daintily beside her. This caused Letty and Lace to break up in laughter and howls. Neither girl could talk because of the laughter. "Am I really that funny?" Trynten asked, her vacant expression of understanding not there or at least not registering, making them both nod and roll that much more.

"Good times." Lace shook her head once she was able to stop laughing and finally said, the silence of crickets chirping making her think of Trynten. She took one look at Letty and knew they both were on the same wavelength again and both busted up into laughter.

"What's so funny?" Leon asked, walking up, looking more confused than what Trynten had looked previously.

"Nothing." All three of them became stone faced, making Leon shake his head.

"Must be a girl thing. If I was to fight with someone, I damned sure wouldn't be sittin here toastin marshmallows.:" Leon said, making Letty mock him and the other two burst up into fits of laughter yet again.

"What the hell you been smokin?" Vince came up, snatching the marshmallows away from Letty, inspecting it closely. This only made them laugh that much harder.

"It's called a side of Vincent." Lace managed to get out, then rolled away from Vince, as to not get popped.

"You told her?" Vince asked, looking around.

"Uh, yeah. Just like good ol Leon knows." Letty laughed, holding her side.

"Where you been dawg?" Leon asked, sitting down by Trynten and looking at the food with the puppy dog eyes.

"NO way. It's mine, boy, back off." Trynten shook her head.

"You an actress. A tiny one at that. Let a boy eat, would ya?" Roman commented, walking up, his arms full.

"Ex-actress, thank you. And so that means I can eat what I want." Trynten smiled proudly at her 'serving' him with her words.

"We're starvin, Girl. We done made a hella long road trip to get here and then had to leave and go Back on the damned road. A bro gots to eat, I'm tellin ya" Roman sat on the other side of her, nodding at Leon for the two of them to beg in unison.

"Please, don't eat the girl." Lace ordered rather than requested, getting an indignant look from Roman.

"WHAT? I heard you eat most anything." Lace defended herself, making Brian smile to himself, not saying a word as he ignored Roman's glare from the other side of the fire that was burning to newer heights. The girls had built it up good, almost proving girls could do better work than the guys.

"You're not right, I can already tell this." Roman huffed, getting up.

"That's it, Lace, you made the little boy cry." Letty ridiculed in a semi-sarcastic voice, making him look at her in shock.

"It's always in a pack, you females." He muttered.

"You shoulda known that by now, all your experiences and such." Brian playfully chided.

"Oh don't get me started, white boy." Roman pointed at him threatening.

"Let's do get you started. I want to hear this." Lace smiled, crossing her legs and resting her chin on her clasped hands, looking far too interested to make Brian comfortable.

"SO, where'd Dom go?" Vince asked, his voice low as he looked at Letty.

"I don't know." Letty chewed on her lip, her nervousness starting to settle in on the whole issue that had just been brought to the attention of the whole group. She hadn't planned for it to happen that way at all but it couldn't have been helped, she reasoned inside her own head.

"Not good, not good." Vince traced a stick in the dirt, shaking his head. He felt guilty but it had been far too long that Letty and Dominic were in love. He didn't even take care of her the way he should have and he didn't care if he treated her right, he reasoned.

"I know. But, he's Dominic Toretto. He'll get over it." Letty sighed, clearly not convinced herself. She watched Jesse sneak up behind Trynten and grab her, causing her to scream.

"Jesse! Not nice!" She yelled, scolding him and him grinning proudly.

"Who said I was nice?" Jesse retorted, making her get up and go after him. She took off in the dark moonlit desert, chasing him clear down to the pond, and then pushed him in. "THAT is not nice. You have had it now." He warned, pointing at her, his soaked, dripping wet sleeve making her giggle as she ran back towards camp. She tripped, her ankle catching and she lay there quietly, and knowing Jesse was confused for sure. Then he stumbled up on top of her, almost, making her yelp.

"You okay?" Jesse asked, shivering as the wind blew, and dropping beside her in concern.

"I think I sprained it. Not a big deal." She smiled, the moonlight playing on her silvery red hair. She attempted to get up unsuccessfully and settled for leaning on Jesse.

"AN injury already? We usually save those for the second or third day, trentyn." Vince teased.

"Guess I didn't get the memo, Scruffy boy." Trynten hopped to the closet chair, taking her time sitting down.

"DAMn, Trynten, that thing is Huge." Roman sat in her old spot, his mouth stuffed with marshmallows as he talked. Lace popped him on the back of the head, her trademark hit she was so known for.

"Gee, thanks." Trynten stuck out her tongue at him, her foot throbbing.

"You must be a real Casanova back in Miami, Mr. I have a way with words." Lace noted, making the crew laugh.

"Make that words to stick my foot in my mouth and you are about right." Tej grinned.

"Haha." Roman gave a fake smile, then a grimace immediately after.

"Glad we are all a barrel of laughs after what all went down." Leon commented, his worried forehead showing he was still waiting for Dominic to come back with a vengeance.

"That's between Let and him, Le." Lace reminded him, her eyebrow raised at him threatingly. "And we Will leave it to them, Yes?" She asked, her tone sounding like she was more ordering than asking. She walked past him and stopped in front of him. "YES?" She repeated, not taking no for an answer.

"Yes." He replied, pretending to be like a little boy in trouble.

"CAN we say she runs the place?" Roman asked, looking at Brian for an answer.

"I'm not in this." Brian held up his hands as though he was being robbed.

"I'm looking for a Brian O'Connor." A policeman walked up, making the group become quiet.

"That's me, who wants to know?" Brian stiffened, his questioning look making the whole crew worry.

"This warrant. You'll have to come with us." The officer said, now backed by a second officer. Roman stood up, ready to fight.

"It's okay, Rome. Just follow us so when they see I have done nothing wrong, you can drive me back." Brian conceded to the officers, letting them put the cuffs on him.


	9. Take 9

Take 9…..

A tidbit of mischief and a night of racing.

"Yo, Red, you wanna give that car to someone that can drive it?" A guy hollered out at Trynten, making her ship around, her hair spinning dramatically in the hot California wind. She could only smirk, knowing he was about to get dropped, ego wise.

"Ha, I would if I thought you could drive it, even half assed." Trynten smiled at him sweetly, thought very mockingly. He shook his head, looked at his friends and grinned even bigger.

"She looks outta your league, bro." A friend chided, making the guy look more determined.

"She can't race. She's only a piece of ass with a nice car. Probably earned it from scoring an old rich dude." Another guy scoffed. Trynten looked at them all, her eyes focused on them for a drawn out second.

"Come on, Red, you're wastin our time. You gonna race or what? You just come to race wars to look pretty? Is that it?" The guy asked, starting to get in his car.

"She'll race your sorry asses and you won't be able to run that pretty boy mouth of yours when she wins." Letty popped up from behind the hood. Trynten as well as the boys looked shocked. Trynten turned to face Letty with a worried look as the boys hoped and hollered, laughing.

"I can't drive and you know this." Trynten whispered furiously, her cheeks burning from the dread of the embarrassment.

"Can't never could." Letty breezed by her, shutting the hood and ignoring Trynten's long stare, obviously meant to get at her. Letty was the queen at ignoring those looks, they had been a trademark of Mia's as well.

"Letty! You are NOT serious!" Trynten turned pale at the smile Letty had on her lips, indicating she was very serious.

"Let's go, Red." The guy taunted, revving his engine.

"Hey, you wanted to know how us racers did it, now if you get that part, you can say you learned the know how fair and square." Letty shrugged, hopping over the door to the passenger seat, leaving Trynten huffing as she threw herself in the car with attitude.

"I didn't mean this way!" She grumbled, throwing the seat belt harness over her. Letty tried hard not to laugh at this tantrum she was displaying.

"Just like a movie star to throw out some attitude at having to work." Letty sighed, examining her nails.

"Whatever. I just don't want to get my reputation laughed at and get beat by this ass of a guy." Trynten reluctantly started up the car.

"Reputation? You don't have one out here, Red." Letty mocked her friend, making her look at her with a glare. "Yet. You concentrate on what I tell you and you might pull it off." She shrugged, flicking Trynten's sunglasses off her head and over her nose.

"I can't believe you told them I would race. You coulda done it." Trynten said, pulling the car around to the line.

"Just like a diva to want someone to drive her around." Letty sighed, settling back for the comical race that was about to take place.

"So, what you gonna wager?" The guy looked over at a less than confident looking Trynten with a smirk.

"How about we win, you girls give us them tight assed bodies?" A drunk friend leaned over and suggested.

"Just like all you guys at Wars to pick ass over cash. I'm talking real racing here, 500 g's, real." Letty held up her stash of cash, watching Trynten's mouth drop open. She started to say something but Letty had a hand to her mouth and motioned for her to not say a word before she even got a squeak out.

"I don't know. That seems to easy in that car with your pretty girl right there." Thy challenger rubbed the stubble of a beard he had on his face.

"Take her for what all she's worth." The guy in the backseat grinned, making eyes at Trynten. She rolled her eyes and flipped him off. "Oh, there's the spunk I like to see in a redhead." He called back, licking his tongue in the air.

"Yo, I'll let 'pretty girl' show you her racing skills before you decide what you think you can take and tell your grade school homeboy over there to keep his tongue focused on his own dick, would ya?" Letty asked, her easygoing manner still evident as she sighed with a sigh of boredom.

"You are Toretto's chick, huh?" The challenger asked, his mind finally placing her and why she looked familiar.

"You gonna race or what?" She asked, her annoyance starting to grow. "I got other fools that want to play catch the driver so I need to get this going. That is, unless you are just too scared now." Letty shrugged, starting to get out of the car.

"No, nope, no way. We're doing this." The guy in the back said, the challenger revving the engine.

"5 g's, yes or no?" Letty asked, wanting confirmation. He nodded.

"I'll let pretty girl do the counting. On her go." He added, his eyes on the strip of tar that lay in front of them.

"Get mark, get set, GO!" Trynten yelled, her tires and his as well squealed out.

"Slow down, Chica." Letty said, not the least bit concerned of the opponent's car taking the lead.

"WHAT? Are you nuts? That's five grand we're about to lose!" Trynten floored the petal, coming up on the car's tail.

"T, you wanna lose, you do it yo way. You will pay me back the money then. You do it my way and I'll cover whatever happens. Now, last time I checked, you didn't have five grand so who's in control here? I'll let you decide. Let me know when you come to a discoing." Letty said, knowing it would be a quick one.

"Fine." Trynten muttered, falling back as the car in front of them made the turn around to head to the home stretch.

"Floor it NOW!" Letty screamed as soon as they went in for the turn.

"It'll kill us!" Trynten screamed as she did as she was told but fearfully and loudly. The car slid around the target and was weaving in and out.

"Get a grip and control the car…" Letty ordered fiercely enough to make Trynten think she was going to die if she didn't. She no longer got the car uunder control and Letty hit the nos button, shooting them past the car just as it was an inch away from the line that they had started from. The shit-eating grin that had been plastered on the challenger's face was now replaced by a very dark and confused look.

"HA! That was a rush!" Trynten breathed excitedly, her cheeks flushed now more than ever. Her blue eyes were sparkly as she pulled back around to go meet the guys.

"I should make you say sorry for not trusting me but ill let you have your fun before I say anything. Go get the money." Letty waved her off towards the guys, making Trynten laugh at her.

"How was that, boys?" Trynten asked, her eyebrow raised, loving the shocked looks on their frozen faces.

"That wasn't fair. You had nos." The guy argued, getting in Trynten's face.

"Oh, and looking at her like a piece of meat was, huh?" Letty stepped between the two, her nose and face not far from his. He backed up a bit, taking in her leather corset and pants and her intimidating glare. "You didn't want to talk terms, remember? You were too into what you could do to get a chick into bed. Must have a sad life." Letty clicked her teeth in pity for the guy. He reached up and hauled off to hit her, but she anticipated it, grabbed the fist that was coming to her face and twisted it around, bringing him to his knees. "Now, tell me just how pathetic you are, and I might just let you live." Letty whispered in his ear, a smile playing on her lips as he began to sweat.

"She's coming after you all next." Trynten looked at the guys who were watching with awe. That was all it took and they were up and running. She reached in the boy's pockets at Letty's nod and pulled out the money. " Guess this is what you were gonna give us, after all. Thanks." She smiled at the guy and Letty let him go. The two took off walking back to the car. "You amaze me, Letty." Trynten laughed, shaking her head and bursting up in laughter.

"You just need to learn the script out here in the real world of racing and you can do the same shit." Letty shook her head, being truly modest. This was everyday life to her, nothing new, and nothing that she saw as cool or to be in awe of.

"Listen here, Bitch…" A voice came up behind the girls, knocking Trynten to the ground and hitting Letty on the face as she turned around, caught off guard. She felt herself get kicked in the mouth, and tried to get up. Blood was pouring from her mouth. She spit, looking for Trynten, who was nowhere to be found.

"What'd you do with her?" Letty spit more blood as she was being held down by the neck with a boot of her attacker.

"Don't know, don't care. Maybe my boys took her to turn her out." The guy smirked, breathing hard. "Who's the one with the last laugh now, bitch?" He asked, laughing as Letty just laid there, her mouth and head throbbing. She was fighting to not pass out and squinting from the bright sun. She looked up to see a clinched fist and then the sun was covered by a shadow.

Little did she know, who's shadow it was. Only one shadow could be so buff as to make it seem dark and he stood towering over her, his hand on the guy's neck. He took him off with such ease he looked like he was a crane lifting a car.

"Why don't you pick on someone your own size?" The guy asked, his voice deep and his expression a dark grimace. He didn't wait for an answer and went to knocking the guy out. Pretty soon, there was a crowd of people and a select few were pulling him off. He pointed to the guy. "You'd be good to learn to fight your kind, instead of cheap shot a girl." Dominic roared as the pile of people that were pulling him off the blood soaked guy was growing. The guy was barely conscious but Dominic was still going strong. He pretended he was going to walk away and made a sharp turn followed by a lunge as soon as he had shrugged off all hands that had been pulling him off.

"Leon! Get him!" Trynten cried.

"Nah, girl, not this time. Ol' boy is getting what he deserves." Leon sat on the hood of his car while he watched Dominic go at it. Soon security guards were on the scene and Dominic was being put into one car while the badly beaten guy was put into another one.

"Look, Dom, man, you may be king in La, and rule the races here but we can't tolerate fighting." The security guard leveled with his friend.

"Then tell him to keep his hands to himself and off females. He knocked two of my crew members out, both females at that and while they had their backs turned." Dominic said, his voice growing louder and louder in anger.

"He hit two girls, huh?" The security guard shook his head, radioing over to the other car. An ambulance pulled up and EMT's rushed to Letty's side, her mouth still gushing blood. They wanted to take her to the hospital immediately and Leon jumped off the car, looking unsure about leaving Trynten.

"Go, I'm fine. Do not let her smack one of those medical people." Trynten smiled, pushing him towards the ambulance, though he protested. "Go, call us as soon as you know something." Trynten shaded her eyes, watching Letty try tirelessly to get up and off the stretcher. Even Trynten knew the publicity she was getting was not what she wanted, especially since she was in a weakened state. Trynten waited to give police her statement and then walked back with Dominic as the sunset in the windy California desert, her shoes in her hands, enjoying being able to feel the sand and not be so stuffy.

"You okay?" Dominic asked after a while, finally breaking the awkward silence between the two.

"Yeah." Trynten nodded and coughed uncomfortably. Then a smile played over her full lips.

"What you smiling about? You got the shit kicked outta ya." Dominic said, shaking his head, but with a small smile.

"Yeah, but it was worth it being on your crew." Trynten smiled. That statement made Dominic stop in his tracks and look at her.

"What makes you think you are on MY team?" He asked, pointing to himself like he was a god. He started walking again and she caught up to him.

"You are the one that said I was on your crew." Trynten chirped innocently.

"You get in one race and win and then get your ass beat and you think you can play on MY team? Are you feeling all right?" Dominic looked down at the petite girl now.

"Just peachy. Tell me you didn't say it and I'll let it go." Trynten smiled, meeting his eyes.

"What was I gonna say? That actress, and my crew member?" He asked, grinning, then realized she didn't find it as funny as he did. She started to walk away but he was too quick to grab her hand.

"I was only kidding. I wanted to see what you would say." Trynten said, not looking up at him with the glistening tears that were about to escape her almond shaped blue eyes.

"I said it and I wasn't kidding." Dominic admitted, spinning her around to face him. He looked her in the eyes, as though apologetic. He wanted to so bad to hold her in his arms and to kiss her bruised, yet pale face.

A/N: I know I haven't been around much lately due to my new job but I'm trying. I haven't read or reviewed any stories as of late simply because I want to be able to have time to read them, that seems only fair to me. I have not forgotten any of you or the great stories you guys write! Things have been crazy. I still have mad love for all my readers and hope you guys like where this one is headed. I'm out and off to work for now. I am off the next two days so I will be catching up on my reading. Peace out, much love, CHEER


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